Chris Bahn: Arkansas Homecoming Isn't Just For Alumni This Weekend

Anybody that travels for business knows what a grind the road can be. Stack enough trips on top of each other and even ones of limited distance are tough. It doesn't matter if you drive in shifts with others in the car and stay on the cheap, or if you fly and sleep first-class from start to finish.

Extended time on the road can be mentally and physically exhausting. Top-notch work isn't always generated from those situations.

Imagine then how the Razorbacks must have felt since this 2009 football season began. Arkansas has played in Fayetteville just twice in nine weeks and enter a welcome home stand just 3-4 overall.

Technically, there have been home games in Dallas and Little Rock. And as beneficial as those games can potentially be for the program - it's been detailed in this space time and again - it has to wear on the players and coaches that they've played more games away from Reynolds Razorback Stadium than inside it.

So if you're scoring at home - or at your home away from home, as has generally been the case with the Razorbacks this season - since the season began Sept. 2 fans in Arlington, Texas have had only one less opportunity to see Arkansas play than fans in Fayetteville.

That's difficult. It makes matters worse that the only open date of the season came on Sept. 9, giving the Razorbacks 11 consecutive weeks of competition without a break.

Petrino and his players are clearly excited to be back in Razorback Stadium with consecutive games coming. Relief has been evident in their voices throughout the week.

"It's been a long time since we played in Fayetteville," Petrino said Monday.

"It's nice to be home," senior Lucas Miller said. "We've played some tough road games this season but we're excited for homecoming."

Homecoming isn't just for alumni this year. It's a homecoming for current players and coaches who actually live and work in Fayetteville.